


Not Haunted

by JoMouse



Series: Tumblr Prompts [5]
Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Fluff, Ghost Stories, Haunted Houses, M/M, Roommates, Tumblr Prompt, Zayn's a klutz, knight in a fluffy towel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 11:02:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7312438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoMouse/pseuds/JoMouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam moves into a house he's convinced is haunted, despite the reassuring words of his new housemates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings!
> 
> Just another tumblr prompt that I received based on [this post](http://josjournal.tumblr.com/post/146131648737/first-sentence-writing-prompts). I have to apologize to the requester because they specifically asked for Ziam and I spent a great deal of time with OT5 (I'm OT5 trash, I admit it), but the Ziam is there, I promise.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> xx-Joey
> 
> Don't know 'em. Don't own 'em. Don't show 'em.

“No, the house is definitely not haunted, why do you ask?” the blond, Niall, said to Liam as they started to walk through the house.

Liam was already regretting renting a room here because the first thing he’d asked, after introducing himself to one of his new housemates, was if the house was really haunted like he’d always heard. Liam had been thrilled that, after graduation, he’d managed to find a job in the town where he’d grown up. He didn’t, however, want to move back in with his parents. At the same time, he didn’t want to live alone in a flat, so he’d looked into houses with rooms to let. Of course, the only one with reasonable rates and positive sounding amenities would be the one that he’d grown up being terrified of.

He remembered he and Andy daring each other to ring the doorbell when old man Darte still lived there. Then after the man had died, or at least moved out, they’d dared each other to sneak into the house. He remembered tales of older boys spending the night in the falling apart home and coming out the next morning changed people, unable to share the stories of the horrors faced inside.

Now, as he followed Niall into the house, he felt a little silly for being afraid of a building. Logically, he knew that the house had been remodeled since he’d left Wolverhampton, and that would explain the bright and shiny appliances in the kitchen that he and his other housemates would be sharing, but he still felt silly.

“So, for the most part, we all kind of cook for ourselves, but, every once in awhile, Harry will get in a mood and make a lavish feast for the whole house,” Niall explained pointing to a lad standing in front of the stove, his hair pulled up into a bun, a few sweaty tendrils escaping.

The boy turned away from the stove and waved a spoon in greeting, a couple of splatters of tomato sauce splashing onto the cupboards. “You’re Liam, yeah? This is a ‘welcome to the house’ dinner,” he said, smiling wide, showing dimples, and Liam couldn’t stop himself from smiling in return.

“I appreciate it,” Liam said, sniffing. “Smells good.”

“Should be ready in about an hour,” Harry told him before turning back towards the stove. “Give you some time to get settled in and meet everyone.”

“Let me show you which room is yours,” Niall said, starting up the stairs to the second floor. “This is my room,” he said, pointing to the first door on the left. “This is Louis and Harry’s. They share,” Niall explained as he rapped on the door on the right.

“Sod off,” a grouchy, slightly high-pitched voice, yelled through the door.

“Oi! Open the door and meet Liam!” Niall shouted, and Liam chewed his lip, a bit frightened to see who the voice belonged to.

The door swung open to reveal a curvy boy, a bit shorter than Liam, his face a mask of annoyance. “You the newbie?” he snapped, and Liam nodded.

“Be nice, ya wanker,” Niall said, shoving the boy. “Ignore Louis. He can be a bit testy if he’s separated from Harry for too long.”

Louis let out a growl and lunged for Niall, twisting a nipple before Niall could duck away and hide behind Liam. Louis paused, eying Liam up and down before shrugging and attacking his chest instead. “Hey!” Liam shouted, batting his hands away. “What was that for?”

“Get used to it,” Louis said, his lips twisted into a devilish smirk, eyes sparkling with something akin to mischief.

“And if I don’t want to?” Liam snapped back, his lips curving into a smile.

“If that’s how I like to work, Liam, that’s up to me. If you’re going to hold it against me, then leave the house,” Louis said, his lip curling in a bit of a snarl, accent a bit heavier before he reached out and attacked Liam’s nipple again. Before Liam could retaliate, Louis disappeared into his room, slamming the door with a cackle.

“He can take a little getting used to,” Niall told Liam, who just shrugged, feeling a bit nervous about the boy, but trying not to let it show. “Now, that door there,” Niall pointed to the next door, “is the upstairs washroom. There’s a shower, tub, double sink. We’ve also a washroom downstairs with a shower and, by some stroke of luck, the new plumbing allows for us to shower in both rooms at once.” Liam was impressed. “We just can’t do it while the dishes or laundry are running.”

“Is there a shower schedule?” Liam asked, trying to be polite.

“I know you’ve just met us, but do we strike you as schedule people?” Liam laughed and shook his head, realizing that things were a bit relaxed. “I mean, we have our habits, but nothing set in stone. Hasn’t been too much of a problem, so far. Moving on. That door across the hall is for the attic. We don’t go up there,” Niall told him and Liam started to ask, but Niall was already opening the door at the end of the hall. “This is your room.” 

Liam stepped inside and smiled. The room was a decent size, quite possibly had been the master bedroom originally. “Why didn’t Harry and Louis take the big room?” Liam asked, feeling like he was taking something away from the other boys.

“Rent’s a bit cheaper on the smaller rooms, to be honest,” Niall explained, and Liam nodded. “So, because Louis is a struggling actor, Harry’s responsible for the bulk of their rent.”

“Still seems unfair,” Liam muttered as he dropped his duffle on the unmade bed before crossing to the window, pushing apart the light blue curtains and looking out the window, smiling when he spotted his car, full to the top with his belongings, sitting in the drive.

“Well, if you want to pay the rent on this room and allow us to live in it, I wouldn’t stop you,” Louis said, standing in the doorway, an arm draped over Harry’s shoulders.

“Lou, stop it. Our room is cozy and perfect for us,” Harry said, pressing his face into Louis’ neck, making the blue-eyed boy’s smile widen. Liam decided that he much prefered Louis when Harry was around. “Dinner’s ready.”

By the time Liam’s belly was full, his car was empty, and he was collapsing on the bed, he was feeling a great deal of fond for his new housemates. They’d made him feel welcome and even Louis became less annoying as the night wore on. They’d all hung out in the living room, watching the telly before heading upstairs together to go to their respective rooms.

Liam exited his room, a towel thrown over his shoulder to duck into the washroom to finish getting ready for bed. He could hear snoring coming from Niall’s room and he flushed a bit at the sounds coming from Harry and Louis’ room. Turning on the water, he quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. 

It was while he was drying his face that he saw it. He’d left the door to the washroom ajar and saw a shadow cross from the direction of his room and towards the stairs. Tilting his head, he could still hear Niall and the others in their rooms. A chill ran through Liam’s back as he tiptoed towards the door, pulling it open and peeking out to see the stairs. He could just make  out a shadow disappearing around the bend in the stairs and could hear quiet creaks of each step.

Liam swallowed hard, smacking the washroom light off before racing towards his room, closing the door loudly behind him. He jumped into his bed and pulled the covers over his head, feeling like a fool, but his instincts were not letting him do anything else. He stayed awake, listening, for what, he didn’t know, until exhaustion from the day overtook him and he passed out.

The next morning, Liam laid awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the noises of the house around him, but thinking about the ones he’d heard the night before. After some time had passed, and Liam had heard the front door open and close a couple of times, he got out of bed. After stretching a bit, he changed into some running clothes and decided to start planning his daily route. 

Closing his door behind him, he headed downstairs. He ran into Niall in the kitchen, the blond eating a bowl of cereal. “Morning, Liam,” he muttered around a mouthful. 

“Morning. Louis and Harry leave already?” Liam pulled open the fridge and grabbed out one of the water bottles he’d put in the night before.

“Harry dropped Louis at an audition before heading to the bakery,” Niall told him before picking up his bowl and drinking the remaining milk. Liam laughed at the milk mustache on his face just as Niall wiped the back of his hand over it. “I’ll be leaving in about ten minutes.”

Liam nodded as he grabbed his trainers from by the back door, sitting down across from Niall to put them on. “Was thinking I could get us all pizza tonight as a thank you for last night’s dinner,” Liam said as he tied one of his shoes.

“You don’t have to do that, Li,” Niall told him as he put his bowl and spoon in the dishwasher. “We like you already.” Liam just shrugged, refusing to look up. “But, I’ll never say no to pizza. We should all be back around five.” He slapped Liam on the shoulder before leaving the room.

Liam finished with his shoes and was pushing his earbuds in when he heard the front door slam shut. A few minutes later, Liam was letting himself out the front door and heading down the walk. He stopped on the lawn and started to stretch a bit, his eyes looking over the house, smiling at it, not feeling the fear that he remembered from his youth. Movement caught his eye and he looked up towards the window he knew was his just as the curtains moved a bit, a shadow just disappearing.

Liam swallowed hard and began to run. His heart was already pounding too fast from the fright, but he pushed himself to keep going. He ran down the street, knowing it headed deeper into the neighborhoods and further from the busier part of the city. Once he reached the end, his brain started to clear, his mind focusing only on the ins and outs of his breathing. He let the music flow through him and then chuckled when the theme song from “Ghostbusters” started playing. 

By the time Liam arrived back at the house, he’d convinced himself that what he’d seen had simply been a trick of the light. He’d even begun to feel a bit silly for the way he’d freaked out, not once but twice, now. He let himself into the house and headed straight for the stairs, running up them and down the hall to his room, stopping when he saw the door standing open. Before he could freak out, he took a deep breath and decided he must have forgotten to close it; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d forgotten something as small as that.

Pulling out his earbuds, he thought he heard a door closing, but when he looked in the hallway, nothing seemed out of place. He grabbed a towel and headed to the washroom, closing the door behind him. He felt only slightly foolish when he locked the door, since he was alone in the house. 

Once he was done with the shower, he wrapped a towel around his waist, and went back to his room. He had just pulled his duffel onto his bed, making a mental note that he would need to get unpacked soon and settled when he heard the noise. A sudden crash sounded from above him and he jumped back, his still damp feet slipping on the wooden floor, sending him backwards until he fell on his bum. “Fuck,” he muttered.

Liam pushed himself to his feet; his ears tuned to any noises coming from upstairs when he heard a low groan and possibly a, “Help.” Never one to ignore a person in need, Liam raced into the hall and then realized he didn’t know where to go.

He heard Niall’s voice in his mind:  _ “That door across the hall is for the attic. We don’t go up there.” _

Reaching for the knob, Liam prayed the door wouldn’t be locked and breathed out when it turned easily in his hand. He opened the door to a set of stairs with a bright light at the top. Cautiously, he called out, “Hello?” A groan sounded out, but no discernable words, so Liam started up the stairs slowly.

When he reached the top, he wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of paint. He glanced around, blinking his eyes against the bright splashes of colour that filled every corner of the room. He was staring at a lifesize spray painted image with bright pink hair. He took a step towards it when a weak voice stopped him.

“Who the fuck are you? What are you doing in my house?”

Liam turned and found an embodied version of the painting lying in the middle of the floor, his left leg twisted in a step stool and a fierce look on his face. Liam would be frightened if the hazel eyes weren’t squinted in pain.

“Live here, don’t I? Who are you?” Liam said, approaching slowly, hands out in front of him in a calming manner.

“Fuck. Niall did say something about finally letting out the other room. Didn’t realize you’d moved in, would’ve come out and intro- Fuck!” he cut himself off, wincing and grabbing at his leg.

Liam dropped down next to him and gently extricated his leg from the step stool, apologizing when the boy winced. “I’m Liam,” he said, helping the boy to sit up and allowing him to lean against him, his hair tickling Liam’s nose.

“Zayn,” he mumbled, trying to turn his foot and wincing again. 

“Think you’re really hurt, mate,” Liam told him, standing and reaching a hand down to pull Zayn to standing and maneuvering Zayn’s arm over his shoulder to support his weight. “Should take you to get it checked out.”

They started towards the stairs, Zayn groaning as he saw them. “Can’t do it.” Liam just moved and put an arm behind Zayn’s knees, scooping him into his arms and started down the stairs. Once they hit the second floor, he started for the stairs to the main floor. “Um, Liam?”

“We’re going. No arguing. It’s already swelling, Zayn. Just glad you didn’t have shoes on,” Liam said.

“At least I have clothes on,” Zayn said, and Liam froze, remembering that he was standing in just a towel and just as he remembered, he felt the towel slip and gather around his feet. Zayn started laughing as Liam turned around and headed back towards his room, still carrying Zayn.

When they got into the room, Liam looked into Zayn’s face, his breath catching as he finally realized just how attractive the boy he was holding was. Once he did, even though he willed it not to, his dick twitched slightly, and he saw Zayn’s eyes widen. “Close those eyes, please,” Liam said, setting Zayn on the bed and reaching into his duffle and pulling out clothes, quickly pulling on pants before turning around to find Zayn staring at him. “Hey!”

Zayn just quirked an eyebrow and grinned. “Not even sorry, mate,” he said, laughing when Liam threw the shirt in his hand at him. 

Several minutes later, Liam was scooping Zayn up again, trying to avoid looking him in the face as he carried him down the stairs and out of the house to his car. They pulled out as Zayn fiddled with the radio, an Usher song filling the air. “Sick,” he said, and Liam nodded. 

“So,” Liam started, unsure what to say to Zayn. “You’re not a ghost.” Liam mentally smacked himself, but felt a bit better when Zayn let out a laugh, his entire face lighting up, the lines from the pain finally fading a bit.

The trip to A&E was quick, the place unusually empty when they arrived. The boys were pulling back into the driveway, Zayn’s ankle wrapped and crutches stuffed in the backseat, just as Niall was walking into the house. “Liam!” he shouted, stopping when he saw Liam helping Zayn out of the car. “Zee?”

Zayn struggled with the crutches, giving Liam a pathetic look until Liam rolled his eyes and squatted down. Zayn hopped onto Liam’s back, letting him carry him into the house, crutches clutched in one of Liam’s hands. Niall was still standing on the porch, looking stunned as they went past him. “You should eat. You need to take those meds,” Liam said, walking into the kitchen and setting him in a chair. “I’ll order the pizza.”

Harry and Louis came down the stairs, looking a bit tousled, both of them surprised to see Zayn sitting in the kitchen. “Thought you had a big deadline,” Harry said as Louis planted himself in Zayn’s lap and pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek.

“I do. Got a bit overexcited and the stepstool took me out,” Zayn said, laughing. “Our new roommate was my knight in shining armour. Well, knight in fluffy towel, for a second, anyway.”

“Wait? You saw Liam naked?!” Louis squealed and glanced over at Liam as Liam glared while looking over the pizza menu.

“What does everyone want?” Liam asked.

“I want to see you naked,” Louis exclaimed, laughing when Harry shoved him off Zayn’s lap. “C’mon, Liam, let’s see the Paynis!”

“Ignore him. I think he’s got a goal to see every person in the world naked,” Harry told him.

“Sorry to break your streak, Lou,” Liam said, tapping the menu. “Orders?”

The night continued with a lot of teasing between the group and several attempts by Louis to get Liam naked again. By the time everyone was ready for bed, Liam felt like he’d known the group his entire life. The other three headed up to bed first, leaving Liam to help Zayn. He followed Zayn up the stairs, ready if he slipped off the crutches, but he seemed to do just fine. When they reached the door to the attic, Zayn leaned against the wall, looking exhausted.

“Need some help getting upstairs?” Liam asked, and Zayn bit his lower lip as he nodded.

Liam took the crutches and held up a finger to Zayn before running up the stairs and leaning them against the wall at the top of the stairs. He hurried back down to find Zayn in the same position, eyes closed. With a soft smile, he scooped Zayn up, smiling when the boy blinked sleepily up at him. “You’re more like a prince,” Zayn muttered, turning his face into Liam’s chest with a sigh.

Liam carried him slowly up the stairs, trying not to jostle him. When he got to the top, he turned in a circle, finally spotting a curtain hanging across the room, which he figured was hiding Zayn’s bed. Moving carefully through the room, his eyes went over all the different pieces of artwork that were spread throughout the room. He could see that Zayn had talent, and he smiled down at the, now snoring, boy in his arm.

Moving past the curtain, Liam was surprised by the king sized bed that was before him, piled high with thick blankets and looking like the most comfortable thing he’d ever laid eyes on. He laid Zayn down, smiling when hazel eyes blinked open and met his. “Night, Zee,” Liam said, pushing his hair off his forehead, fighting the sudden urge to press his lips there.

Liam started to move away when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked back at Zayn, his eyebrows raised in an unspoken question. “Thanks so much, Leeyum,” he said, his voice thick with sleep. 

“No problem, Zee,” Liam said, moving back to kneel next to the bed, smiling when Zayn rolled to his side to face him. “Think you can stay out of trouble for the rest of the night? No more scaring unsuspecting housemates with late night excursions or injuring yourself?”

“Don’t know. You should keep an eye on me,” he said, reaching a hand forward and pulling on the front of Liam’s shirt until their faces were inches apart. Liam just barely caught the smile on Zayn’s lips before Zayn pressed forward and covered Liam’s mouth with his own. “Thank you, prince,” Zayn whispered when they pulled apart before burying his face into his pillow.

Liam shakily rose to his feet and retrieved the crutches, placing them within Zayn’s reach. He also made sure to set his meds and a bottle of water on the nightstand. Finally, as he headed for the stairs, he spotted Zayn’s phone lying next to the overturned stepstool. He picked it up, righting the stool and seeing that Zayn’s phone was nearly dead, he spotted the cord next to the nightstand. Plugging it in, he opened it, laughing that Zayn didn’t have it password protected. 

Quickly, he added a new contact to the phone, hoping if Zayn needed anything when he woke, he would find it and call him. With one last glance at Zayn, he gave in and leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead before finally heading down the stairs. Never before was Liam happier to discover that a house was not haunted.

**Author's Note:**

> Please come say "hi" on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/JolynnMG) or [tumblr](http://josjournal.tumblr.com/)! I love meeting new people!!!!


End file.
